Section B : Continuous Writing

[50 marks]
[Time suggested : One hour]
Write a composition of about 350 words on one of the following topics.
1

Explain about doing something that you dont like and how do you feel about it.

Students should use computers or laptops in classroom.

Do you agree?

How important is forest conservation to human?

Write a story about a teacher ending with:

. because learning never ends

Money is the root of all evil

Describe how money can change someone.
Section B : Continuous Writing
[50 marks]
[Time suggested : One hour]

Write a composition of about 350 words on one of the following topics.

1

Describe the saddest moment you ever had and how you deal with it.

School students are not compulsory to wear school uniform.

Do you agree?

Why animals are important to human?

Write a story about a doctor starting with:

Bloods gushing out from her arm, she fainted

Two heads are better than one

Describe how teamwork can help you to do something better.

MINDMAPPING

VOCABULARY-MADE-EASIER

Important
Serious
Sick
Immediately
Arrive
Condition
Problem
Opponent
Worry
Difficult
Combine
Relate
Assist
Rescue
Support
Not enough
Provide
Deliver
Appropriate
Mistake
Prepare
Finish
Appropriate
Dislike
On the other hand
Always

Vital
Dire
Ill
Instantly
Reach
State
Issue, matter
Enemy
Fear
Tough
Mix
Link
Help
Save
Guide
Lack
Give
Send
Apt
Blunder
Ready
Done
Fit
Hate
On the other side of the coin
Frequently, Regularly

An Extensive List of Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal
Verb

Meaning

Example

abide by

To respect or obey a
decision, a law or a rule

If you want to keep your job here, you must abide

by our rules.

account for

To explain, give a reason

I hope you can account for the time you were out!

add up

To make sense, seem

reasonable

The facts in the case just dont add up.

advise
against

To recommend not doing

something

I advise against walking alone in this neighborhood.

agree with

To have the same opinion

as someone else.

I agree with you. I think you should go as well.

allow for

To take into consideration

We need to allow for unexpected charges along the

way.

appeal to

1.

2.

To plead or make
a request

1.

To be attractive
or interesting

2.

He appealed to the court to change its

decision.
A vacation of sunbathing doesntappeal
to me.

apply for

To make a formal request

for something (job,
permit, loan etc.)

He applied for a scholarship for next semester.

back away

To move backwards, in
fear or dislike

When he saw the bear, he backed away in fright.

back down

To withdraw, concede
defeat

Local authorities backed down on their threats to

build on that part of the beach.

1.

To give support
or encouragement

1.

Im going to be very strict with him. I hope

youll back me up on this?

2.

To make a copy
of (file, program, etc.)

2.

You should back up all your computer files

in a secure location.

back up

bank on

To base your hopes on

something / someone

Im banking on you to help with the charity event.

black out

To faint, lose
consciousness

Jenna fell in the parking lot and blacked out.

block off

To separate using a
barrier.

The police blocked off the street after the explosion.

blow up

1.

To explode

2.

To get angry

1.
2.

Tommy blew up the red balloon.

Dont blow up at me. Its not my fault.

boil down
to

To be summarized as

It all boils down to who has more power.

boot up

To start a computer by
loading an operating
system or program

You need to boot up your computer before you begin

to work.

break away

To separate from a crowd

One of the wolves broke away from his pack.

1.
break down
2.

To go out of
order, cease to
function
To lose control of
ones emotions

1.

2.

The washing machine broke downso we had

to call in the repair technician.
John broke down when he heard the news.

break into

To enter by force

Burglars broke into my car last night.

break out

To start suddenly

Rioting broke out after the government raised the

fuel prices again.

break out
of

To escape from a place by

force

Several prisoners broke out of jail.

break up

To come to an end
(marriage, relationship)

She broke up with Daniel after dating him for five

years.

bring up

To raise (a child)

Sara is bringing up her children by herself.

brush up
on

To improve, refresh ones

knowledge of something

I must brush up on my French before going to Paris

next month.

bump into

To meet by chance or
unexpectedly

I bumped into Adam at the bank. He says hello.

1.

stop (something)
working

1.

The light bulb burnt out. Please change it.

2.

She needs to work fewer hours. Otherwise

she will burn out.

burn out
2.
become
exhausted from overworking
call back

To return a phone call

Could please call back in ten minutes?

call off

To cancel

The game was called off because of bad weather.

calm down

To become more relaxed,

less angry or upset

It took Kylie several hours to calm downafter she saw

the accident.

carry on

To continue

The soldiers carried on walking in order to get to

their post before dark.

1.
carry out
2.

check in

To do something
as specified (a plan,
an order, a threat)
To perform or
conduct (test,
experiment)

To register at a hotel or
airport

1.
check out

To pay ones bill

and leave (a hotel)

1.

His orders were carried out to the letter.

2.

That company does not carry outtests on

animals.

They said I must check in at least three hours before

my flight.

1.

Donna checked out of the hotel this morning.

2.

2.

To investigate

I dont know if this price is correct.

Illcheck it out online.

clam up

To refuse to speak

When the police started asking questions, the

suspect clammed up.

clamp
down on

To act strictly to prevent

something

The local authorities have decided to clamp down

on illegal parking in handicapped parking places.

1.

To find by chance

2.

To appear, seem,
make an impression

1.

I was cleaning up and came acrosssome old

photos of you.

come across

come
forward

To present oneself

2.

The politician came across as a complete

fool during the TV interview.

Has the owner of the winning lotto ticketcome

forward?

count on

To rely or depend on (for

help)

You can count on me to keep your secret.

cut down
on

To reduce in number or
size

Ive decided to cut down on the amount of sweets I

eat.

1.

To remove using
scissors

cut out
2.

To stop doing
something

1.

She cut out a coupon from the newspaper.

2.

You need to cut out all red meat from your

diet.

deal with

To handle, take care of

(problem, situation)

Catherine is not good at dealing with stress.

die down

To calm down, become

less strong

After the storm died down, we went outside to see the

damage it had caused.

do without

To manage without

She didnt get a salary this month, so shell have to do

without extra treats.

drag on

To last longer than

expected

The suspects trial dragged on longer than we had

expected!

draw up

To write (contract,
agreement, document)

They drew up a contract and had me sign it.

dress up

wear elegant clothes

Their wedding gave us a chance to dress upand get

out of the house.

drop in

To visit, usually on the

way somewhere

Why dont you drop in to see us on your way home?

1.
drop off
2.

To deliver
someone or
something

1.

Ill drop off the papers later today.

2.

I often drop off in front of the TV.

To fall asleep

drop out

To leave school without

finishing

Zack dropped out of college and joined the army.

ease off

To reduce, become less

severe or slow down
(pain, traffic, work)

Traffic usually eases off about 7pm

end in

To finish in a certain way;

result in

Her marriage ended in divorce.

end up

To finally reach a state,

place or action

If you dont improve your work habits, youllend

up being fired.

fall through

To fail; doesnt happen

His plans to trek through South America fell

through when he got sick.

figure out

To understand, find the

answer

Hes trying to figure out how to earn enough money

to go on the trip to Spain.

fill out

To complete (a form/an
application)

Please fill out the enclosed form and return it as soon

as possible.

find out

To discover or obtain
information

Im going to to find out whos responsible for the

power cut.

focus on

To concentrate on
something

Tom had difficultty focusing on work the day before

his holiday started.

get along
(with)

To be on good terms;
work well with

Its important to get along with your team supervisor.

get at

To imply

What are you getting at? Do you think Im to blame?

get away

To escape

I think we should get away for the weekend.

get by

To manage to cope or to
survive

Students without jobs have a hard timegetting by.

get in

To enter

When did you get in last night?

get into
(+noun)

To enter

How did you get into your car without the keys?

1.

To leave (bus,
train, plane)

get off
2.

To remove

1.

You should get off the train in Kings Heath.

2.

I cant get the ink stain off my shirt.

get on

To board (bus, train,

plane)

Im trying to get on the flight to Brussels.

get on with
(something)

To continue to do; make

progress

After they split up, she had a hard timegetting on

with her life.

get on
(well) with
(somebody)

To have a good
relationship with

He doesnt get on very well with the other members of

the committee.

get out

To leave

He had a hard time getting out of Newark because of

the snow?

get out of

To avoid doing something

Ednas trying to get out of working the night shift.

get over

To recover from (illness,

disappointment)

Has she gotten over the flu?

get over

To recover from (illness,

disappointment)

Mary had the chickenpox last week but shegot over it.

get rid of

To eliminate

Please get rid of that old t-shirt. Its so ragged.

get together

To meet each other

Lets get together for your birthday on Saturday.

get up

To rise, leave bed

Will you please get up? Youve got a class in 20

minutes.

1.
give in

To cease
opposition; yield

2.

1.

To To hand in;
submit

We will never give in to the terrorists

demands.
2.

Ill give in my paper tomorrow.

give up

To stop doing something

Morris gave up drinking 10 years ago.

go through

To experience

Andy went through a lot of pain after his mother

died.

grow up

To spend ones childhood;

develop; become an adult

Hes like Peter Pan. He never really grew upat all.

hand in

To submit (report,
homework)

Please hand in your papers before Friday.

hand out

To distribute

Susan volunteered at the shelter where shehanded

out warm clothes.

hang out

To spend time in a
particular place or with a
group of friends

Which pub does the team hang out at after the game?

hang up

To end a phone
conversation

If you hang up now, Ill never speak to you again.

1.
1.

hold on
2.

hurry up

To wait
To grip tightly

To be quick, act speedily

2.

Please hold on and a representative will

answer your call.
She was so scared on the rollercoaster ride
that she held onfor dear life.

Hurry up and finish your lunch or well miss the

train.
iron out

To resolve by discussion,
eliminate differences

The two countries met at the conference toiron

out their differences.

join in

To participate

Yes David, you can join in the discussion any time

you like.

1.
join up
2.

To engage in,
become a member of
To meet and unite
with

1.

2.

There was a war on, so some kids were only

sixteen when they joined up.
Lets separate now and join up later at the
restaurant.

keep on

To continue doing
something

If you keep on making that noise I will get annoyed.

keep up
with

To stay at the same level

as someone or something

I read the paper every day to keep up withthe news.

kick off

To begin, start

The rugby match kicked off at 3 oclock.

leave out

To omit, not mention

Please check your form again and make sure nothing

is left out.

let down

To disappoint

I feel so let down because they promised me a puppy

but all I got was a doll.

look after

To take care of

Andy can you look after your sister until I get back?

look down
on

To consider as inferior

Shes such a snob. She always looks down on anyone

who is poor.

look on

To be a spectator at an
event

If you dont want to take part in the game you

can look on for now.

look for

To try to find something

Harry went to the shop to look for a new computer.

look
forward to

To await or anticipate with

pleasure

Im looking forward to my birthday. Its in two days

time.

look up to

To admire

I always looked up to my father. He was a great man.

make fun of

To laugh at/ make jokes

about

Its not nice to make fun of people in wheelchairs.

make up

To invent (excuse, story)

Thats a good excuse. Did you make up it up

yourself?

mix up

To mistake one thing or

She had so many cats that she kept mixing up their

person for another

names.

move in

To arrive in a new home

or office

Did you hear? Our new neighbors aremoving in this

afternoon.

move out

To leave your home/office

for another one.

When are you moving out? We need your office for

the new guy.

nod off

To fall asleep

You were so tired after the game that younodded

off on the couch.

own up

To admit or confess
something

Come on. Own up. We know you did it!

pass away

To die

Your grandfather passed away peacefully in his sleep

last night.

pass out

To faint

He didnt drink enough water so he passed out at the

end of the race.

pay back

To reimburse

Ill pay you back as soon as I get the loan.

put off

To postpone, arrange a
later date

Dont put off until tomorrow, what you can do today.

put on

To turn on, switch on

Its very dark in here. Please put on the light on.

put out

To extinguish

The fire fighters were able to put out fire in ten

minutes.

put up

To accommodate, give
somebody a bed

I can put you up until the weekend but then Im

going away.

pick up

To collect somebody

Ill pick you up at around 7:00 to take you to the

airport.

point out

To indicate/direct
attention to something

As I already pointed out, there was a mistake in your

calculation.

rely on

To count on, depend on,

trust

You can rely on me. I always arrive on time.

rule out

To eliminate

Since he had a sound alibi, the police ruledhim out as

a suspect.

run away

To escape from a place or

suddenly leave

He ran away from home and joined the circus.

run into

To meet by accident or
unexpectedly (also: bump
into)

Im so glad I ran into you. I need to ask you

something.

run out of

To have no more of
something.

Weve run out of milk. Ill just pop next door to

borrow some.

set off

To start a journey;

Lets set off early to miss the rush hour traffic.

set up

To start a business

They set up their own company when they were still

in high school.

shop
around

To compare prices

Dont buy that. Lets shop around and see if we can

find something cheaper.

show off

To brag or want to be
admired

Hes such a show off. He has to tell everybody about

his new computer.

show up

To appear/arrive

I dont think shell show up tonight. Her daughter is

sick.

shut up
(impolite)

To be silent, stop talking

Shut up, youre spoiling the movie!

sit down

To take a seat

I think you should sit down. Its bad news.

stand up

To rise from a sitting

position

The whole stadium stood up for the national anthem.

stick up for

To defend

My big brother always stuck up for me when I got

into a fight.

take after

To resemble, in
appearance or character

Angie really takes after her grandmother.

take care of

To look after

Please take care of my cat when Im away.

take off

To leave the ground

The plane will take off as soon as the fog lifts.

take on

To hire or engage staff

I hear theyre taking on extra staff for this event.

take out

To remove; extract

Please take out your mobile phones and turn them

off.

tell off

To reprimand/criticize
severely

The coach told her off for not trying hard enough.

think over

To consider

Take your time and think it over before you decide.

try on

To wear something to see

if it suits or fits

Go ahead, try it on and see if it fits?

turn down

To refuse

I asked her out but she turned me down flat.

use up

To finish a product (so

Your parents used up all the coffee!

that theres none left)

watch out

To be careful

1.
wear out

Watch out! Theres a dog in the road.

To become
unusable

2.

To become very
tired

1.

To do physical
exercise

1.

Julie wore out her shoes running the

marathons.

2.

Julie was worn out after all that running.

1.

You should work out twice a week at the

gym.

work out
2.

wipe off

To find a solution
or calculate
something

2.

Can you work this out? Im no good at math.

To clean (board, table).

Ill wash up if you wipe off the table.

ADJECTIVES FOR HAPPY / PLEASANT FEELINGS

OPEN

HAPPY

ALIVE

GOOD

LOVE

INTERE
STED

POSITIV
E

STRONG

understand
ing

great

playful

calm

loving

concerned

eager

impulsive

confident

gay

courageous

peaceful

considerate

affected

keen

free

reliable

joyous

energetic

at ease

affectionate

fascinated

earnest

sure

easy

lucky

liberated

comfortable

sensitive

intrigued

intent

certain

amazed

fortunate

optimistic

pleased

tender

absorbed

anxious

rebellious

free

delighted

provocative

encouraged

devoted

inquisitive

inspired

unique

sympatheti
c

overjoyed

impulsive

clever

attracted

nosy

determined

dynamic

interested

gleeful

free

surprised

passionate

snoopy

excited

tenacious

admiration

engrossed

enthusiasti
c

hardy

curious

bold

secure

satisfied

thankful

frisky

receptive

important

animated

quiet

warm

accepting

festive

spirited

certain

touched

ecstatic

thrilled

relaxed

sympathy

daring

satisfied

wonderful

serene

close

challenged

glad

free and
easy

loved

optimistic

cheerful

bright

comforted

re-enforced

sunny

blessed

drawn
toward

confident

kind

content

brave

merry

reassured

hopeful

elated
jubilant

ADJECTIVES FOR UNPLEASANT / DEPRESSING FEELINGS

ANGRY
irritated
enraged
hostile

DEPRES
SED

CONFUS
ED

HELPLE
SS

INDIFFE
RENT

AFRAID

HURT

SAD

lousy

upset

incapable

insensitive

fearful

crushed

tearful

doubtful

alone

dull

terrified

tormented

sorrowful

uncertain

paralyzed

nonchalant

suspicious

deprived

pained

indecisive

fatigued

neutral

anxious

pained

grief

disappointe
d
discourage
d

insulting

ashamed

sore

powerless

perplexed

useless

reserved

alarmed

tortured

anguish

annoyed

diminished

embarrasse
d

inferior

weary

panic

dejected

desolate

upset

guilty

hesitant

vulnerable

bored

nervous

rejected

desperate

shy

empty

preoccupie
d

scared

injured

pessimistic

hateful

dissatisfied

unpleasant

miserable

stupefied

forced

cold

worried

offended

unhappy

offensive

detestable

disillusione
d

hesitant

disintereste
d

frightened

afflicted

lonely

bitter

repugnant

unbelieving

despair

lifeless

timid

aching

grieved

aggressive

despicable

sceptical

frustrated

shaky

victimized

mournful
dismayed

resentful

disgusting

distrustful

distressed

restless

heartbroke
n

inflamed

abominable

misgiving

woeful

doubtful

agonized

provoked

terrible

lost

pathetic

threatened

appalled

incensed

in despair

unsure

tragic

cowardly

humiliated

infuriated

sulky

uneasy

in a stew

quaking

wronged

cross

bad

pessimistic

dominated

menaced

alienated

worked up

a sense of
loss

tense

boiling
fuming
indignant

wary

Appearance
Adjectives

Feelings (Good)
Adjectives

adorable
beautiful
clean
drab
elegant
fancy
glamorous
handsome
long
magnificent
old-fashioned
plain
quaint
sparkling
ugliest
unsightly
wide-eyed

agreeable
brave
calm
delightful
eager
faithful
gentle
happy
jolly
kind
lively
nice
obedient
proud
relieved
silly
thankful
victorious
witty
zealous

Condition Adjectives Feelings (Bad)

alive
better
careful
clever
dead
easy
famous
gifted
helpful
important
inexpensive
mushy
odd
powerful
rich
shy
tender
uninterested
vast
wrong

Adjectives

Color Adjectives

Sound Adjectives

red
orange
yellow
green
blue
purple
gray
black
white

cooing
deafening
faint
hissing
loud
melodic
noisy
purring
quiet
raspy
screeching
thundering
voiceless
whispering

angry
bewildered
clumsy
defeated
embarrassed
fierce
grumpy
helpless
itchy
jealous
lazy
mysterious
nervous
obnoxious
panicky
repulsive
scary
thoughtless
uptight
worried

Touch Adjectives

Size Adjectives

boiling
breeze
broken
bumpy
chilly
cold
cool
creepy
crooked
cuddly
curly
damaged
damp
dirty
dry
dusty
filthy
flaky
fluffy
freezing
hot
warm
wet

big
colossal
fat
gigantic
great
huge
immense
large
little
mammoth
massive
miniature
petite
puny
scrawny
short
small
tall
teeny
teeny-tiny
tiny

Time Adjectives
ancient
brief
early
fast
late
long
modern
old
old-fashioned
quick
rapid
short
slow
swift
young

Quantity Adjectives
abundant
empty
few
full
heavy
light
many
numerous
sparse
substantial

A hot potato - Speak of an issue which many people are talking about and which
is usually disputed
A penny for your thoughts - A way of asking what someone is thinking
Actions speak louder than words - People's intentions can be judged better by
what they do than what they say.
Add insult to injury - To further a loss with mockery or indignity; to worsen an
unfavorable situation.
An arm and a leg - Very expensive or costly. A large amount of money.
At the drop of a hat - Meaning: without any hesitation; instantly.
Back to the drawing board - When an attempt fails and it's time to start all over.
Ball is in your court - It is up to you to make the next decision or step
Barking up the wrong tree - Looking in the wrong place. Accusing the wrong
person

Taste/Touc
Adjectives
bitter
delicious
fresh
greasy
juicy
hot
icy
loose
melted
nutritious
prickly
rainy
rotten
salty
sticky
strong
sweet
tart
tasteless
uneven
weak
wet
wooden
yummy

Be glad to see the back of - Be happy when a person leaves.

Beat around the bush - Avoiding the main topic. Not speaking directly about the
issue.
Best of both worlds - Meaning: All the advantages.
Best thing since sliced bread - A good invention or innovation. A good idea or
plan.
Bite off more than you can chew - To take on a task that is way to big.
Blessing in disguise - Something good that isn't recognized at first.
Burn the midnight oil - To work late into the night, alluding to the time before
electric lighting.
Can't judge a book by its cover - Cannot judge something primarily on
appearance.
Caught between two stools - When someone finds it difficult to choose between
two alternatives.
Costs an arm and a leg - This idiom is used when something is very expensive.
Cross that bridge when you come to it - Deal with a problem if and when it
becomes necessary, not before.
Cry over spilt milk - When you complain about a loss from the past.
Curiosity killed the cat - Being Inquisitive can lead you into an unpleasant
situation.
Cut corners - When something is done badly to save money.
Cut the mustard - To succeed; to come up to expectations; adequate enough to
compete or participate
Devil's Advocate - To present a counter argument
Don't count your chickens before the eggs have hatched - This idiom is used to
express "Don't make plans for something that might not happen".
Don't give up the day job - You are not very good at something. You could
definitely not do it professionally.
Don't put all your eggs in one basket - Do not put all your resources in one
possibility.
Drastic times call for drastic measures - When you are extremely desperate you
need to take drastic actions.
Elvis has left the building - The show has come to an end. It's all over.
Every cloud has a silver lining - Be optimistic, even difficult times will lead to
better days.
Far cry from - Very different from.
Feel a bit under the weather - Meaning: Feeling slightly ill.

Give the benefit of the doubt - Believe someone's statement, without proof.
Hear it on the grapevine - This idiom means 'to hear rumours about something
or someone.
Hit the nail on the head - Do or say something exactly right
Hit the sack / sheets / hay - To go to bed.
In the heat of the moment - Overwhelmed by what is happening in the moment.
It takes two to tango - Actions or communications need more than one person
Jump on the bandwagon - Join a popular trend or activity.
Keep something at bay - Keep something away.
Kill two birds with one stone - This idiom means, to accomplish two different
things at the same time.
Last straw - The final problem in a series of problems.
Let sleeping dogs lie - Do not disturb a situation as it is - since it would result in
trouble or complications.
Let the cat out of the bag - To share information that was previously concealed
Make a long story short - Come to the point - leave out details
Method to my madness - An assertion that, despite one's approach seeming
random, there actually is structure to it.
Miss the boat - This idiom is used to say that someone missed his or her chance
Not a spark of decency - Meaning: No manners
Not playing with a full deck - Someone who lacks intelligence.
Off one's rocker - Crazy, demented, out of one's mind, in a confused or befuddled
state of mind, senile.
On the ball - When someone understands the situation well.
Once in a blue moon - Meaning: Happens very rarely.
Picture paints a thousand words - A visual presentation is far more descriptive
than words.
Piece of cake - A job, task or other activity that is easy or simple.
Put wool over other people's eyes - This means to deceive someone into thinking
well of them.
See eye to eye - This idiom is used to say that two (or more people) agree on
something.
Sit on the fence - This is used when someone does not want to choose or make a
decision.
Speak of the devil! - This expression is used when the person you have just been
talking about arrives.

Steal someone's thunder - To take the credit for something someone else did.
Take with a grain of salt - This means not to take what someone says too
seriously.
Taste of your own medicine - Means that something happens to you, or is done to
you, that you have done to someone else
To hear something straight from the horse's mouth - To hear something from the
authoritative source.
Whole nine yards - Everything. All of it.
Wouldn't be caught dead - Would never like to do something
Your guess is as good as mine - To have no idea, do not know the answer to a
question

1. Acid Test:
Meaning - Acid test proves the effectiveness of something.
Example - I practiced hard at the dance sessions but the acid test will come
when the master will assess our solo performances.
2. Cut the ground from under feet:

Meaning - When you cut the ground from under someone's feet, you do
something which weakens their position.
Example - When team India hit more than 350 runs in the ODI, they cut the
ground from under the opponent's feet.
3. Chase your tail:
Meaning - Spending a lot of time and energy doing a lot of things but actually
achieving too little.
Example - He's been chasing his tail all week collecting data but the report is still
not ready
4. Whole bag of tricks Meaning - Means trying all the clever means to achieve something.
Example - It was really difficult to find the information even after applying the
whole bag of tricks.
5. Deliver the goods Meaning - Do what is expected or promised.
Example - I have given my car to a new mechanic for repair, hope he delivers the
goods.
6. Fine-tooth comb Meaning - Examining something carefully to not miss out any details.
Example - The boss examined my report with a fine tooth comb before
submitting it to the senior management.
7. Explore all avenues
Meaning - Trying out every possibility to get a result.
Example - It is a difficult thing to do but if we really want it done, we must
explore all avenues.
8. Fast track something Meaning - Rating something higher on your priority list to achieve the desired
result.
Example - In view of the seriousness of the crime, the civil society is pressing up
on a fast track decision from the court.
9 . Get ducks in a row Meaning - Getting your things well organized.
Example - To ensure a successful product launch, we must get our ducks in a row.
10. Get the show on the road Meaning - Putting up a plan or idea into action.
Example - Now that we have completed all the legal formalities, let's get the
show on the road.
11. Keep your fingers on the pulse Meaning - Being constantly aware of the most recent developments.
Example - An entrepreneur must keep his fingers on the pulse of the market to
be successful.
12. Mean business Meaning - Being serious about what you announce.
Example - Now that all our policies about work are put up on intranet, we mean
business.
13. Think on your feet Meaning - Adjusting quickly to changes and making fast decisions.

Example - A good sales man must be able to think on his feet to close the deal.
14. Sail through something Meaning - Being successful in doing something without difficulty.
Example - The presentation at the national conference was extremely important
for the company. We sailed through it.
15. Tricks of the trade:
Meaning - Clever or expert way of doing something.
Example - Being into the construction business for last 10 years, I know all tricks
of the trade.
16. Not let grass grow under feet Meaning - Don't delay in getting something done.
Example - As soon as he finished all the registration formalities, he put the house
on sale. He doesn't let the grass grow under his feet.
17. Work like a charm Meaning - Works very well or has the desired effect.
Example - I had cloves from my sore throat and they worked like a charm.
18. Back-room boys Meaning - People who perform important work but have no contact with the
public.
Example - Our back room boys deserve an applause for the success of this
advertisement.
19. Dead wood Meaning - People or things which are no longer useful or necessary.
Example - The company bought in a lot of new computers. They no longer want
the dead woods.
20. Get the axe Meaning - lose the job.
Example - The projects team was undergoing a major restructuring, recruitment
executives were the first to get the axe.
21. Plum job Meaning - Desirable position which is well-paid and considered relatively easy.
Example - This looks like a plum job but it has its own bunch of complications.
22. Shape up or ship out Meaning - This expression is used to warn someone that if they do not improve
their ways, they will have to leave their job.
Example - When Tom started neglecting the customers, he was told to shape up
or ship out.
23. Golden handshake Meaning - Big sum of money given to a person when they leave a company or
retire.
Example - The management of various PSUs wanted to cut down on the man
power. They offered a golden hand shake to many of their aged employees.
24. Separate sheep from goats Meaning - Examining a group of people and deciding their suitability
Example - Audition test was conducted by the director to separate sheep from
goats.

25. Waiting in the wings Meaning - Waiting for an opportunity to take action, mostly to replace someone
else in their job.
Example - The senior manager is going to retire in next 2 months. Two of his
juniors who are waiting in the wings will have a fierce competition.
26. Eat, sleep and breathe something Meaning - Being so enthusiastic and passionate about something that you think
about it all the time.
Example - My son has recently learnt cycling. He eats, sleeps and breathes it
now.
27. With bells on Meaning - When you are delighted and eager to go somewhere, you are said to
go with bells on.
Example - The New Year party at the beach is most awaited. I will be there - with
bells on.
28. Fever pitch Meaning - When a feeling is very intense and exciting, it is said to be at a fever
pitch.
Example - His love for music had reached a fever pitch before he became a world
known musician.
29. Blood, sweat and tears Meaning - Something that requires a lot of effort and hard work.
Example - Being the team of Indian cricket team is not just a matter of luck for
him, it is his blood, sweat and tears which has got him here.
30. Have on the brain Meaning - Thinking or talking about it all day long.
Example - He has just got engaged. Now, he has his fianc on his brain all the
time.
31. Fling yourself into Meaning - Doing something with a lot of energy and enthusiasm.
Example - Flinging himself into the exercise routine is the reason for his good
physique.
32. Raring to go Meaning - Being very eager and enthusiastic about the idea of doing something.
Example - My kids wish to see the animals. They are raring to go to zoo.
33. Xerox subsidy Meaning - Using the office photocopier for personal use.
Example - The office now has a strict policy about xerox subsidy.
34. Get a grip on yourself Meaning - Controlling your feelings to deal with a situation.
Example - Reema saw her jewellery and cash missing from the machine. After
the initial shock, she got a grip on herself and called up the police.
35. Hang on by fingernails Meaning - Continuing to do something in a very difficult situation.
Example - The market of watches has suffered a big loss after the arrival of
mobile phones. The survivors are just hanging on by their fingernails.
36. Pull out all the stops -

Meaning - Doing everything you can to make something successful.

Example - The deadline for the project is fast arriving; we have pulled out all the
stops for timely completion.
37. Buckle down Meaning - Doing some hard work with determination and full attention.
Example - Getting through the exam for civil services is possible when you have
buckled down yourself.
38. First out of the gate Meaning - Being the first one to make a start at something.
Example - John and his friends had decided to voice their opinion against the new
economic policy. John was the first one to be out of the gate.
39. Going places Meaning - Exhibiting talent and ability that will lead to a successful future.
Example - Rakesh was a performer at the school sports club. It was obvious that
he was going places.
40. Have one's heart set on Meaning - Possessing a determination to obtain something.
Example - He has not become a renowned cardiologist just by chance. He has his
heart set on it after his father passed away with a cardiac arrest.
41. Make headway Meaning - Progress in what you are trying to achieve.
Example - The police have made a headway with their investigation in the terror
attack on the city last friday.
42. Punch above one's weightMeaning - Performing beyond your ability.
Example - He was not the best swimmer around but he could win the gold medal
at the state swimming competition by working hard and punching above his
weight in the finals.
43. Sink your teeth into Meaning - doing something with a lot of energy and enthusiasm.
Example - Marie joined the badminton coaching classes. She sank her teeth into
the practice sessions.
44. Stand one's ground Meaning - Maintaining your position.
Example - He stood his ground in support of his friend in spite of several family
interferences.
45. Close to home Meaning - A comment which is true and makes you uncomfortable is close to
home.
Example - Tom's comment about his friend's unethical activities was quite close
to home. He looked quite embarrassed.
46. Carry the torch for Meaning - Having strong feelings for someone who cannot be yours.
Example - He has been carrying a torch for Mamta, who is now married to Nitin,
since they studied together in college.
47. Cork up something Meaning - Failing to express your emotions.

Example - She did not let her grief pour out when her father passed away. Its not
good for her to cork up his feelings.
48. Cut to the quick Meaning - Hurting someone deeply or offending them.
Example - Joe had worked for 10 years with all his loyalty for his company. He
was cut to the quick when his boss held him responsible for the theft.
49. Fish out of water Meaning - Feeling uncomfortable in unfamiliar surroundings.
Example - Being a French, I felt like a fish out of water in the group of Japanese
50. Bee in one's bonnet Meaning - Carrying an idea which constantly occupies your thoughts.
Example - She is not happy in Africa. She has a bee in the bonnet about moving
to Dubai.
51. Deep down Meaning - Describing what a person really feels deep inside or what is he like.
Example - He appears to be indifferent to the success or failure of his children
but deep down he is highly concerned.
52. Have your heart in the right place Meaning - Refers to a person with good intentions; even though the results are
not that impressive.
Example - The dinner she had cooked wasn't the best but she had her heart in
the right place.
53. Groan inwardly Meaning - Refers to a feeling where you want to express despair, disapproval or
distress, but you keep quite.
Example - She was quite disappointed at the sarcastic remark by her friend but
looking at the situation sh groaned inwardly.
54. Beard the lion in his den Meaning - Challenge someone in his own area.
Example - If he doesn't come to see me today, I'll have to beard the lion in his
den.
55. Keep a stiff upper lip Meaning - Refers to a person who doesn't show off his emotions.
Example - He heard the news about his father's demise but kept a stiff upper lip.
56. Go bananas Meaning - Refers to someone who behaves in a crazy way out of emotions.
Example - Your decision to go abroad for a year will make your family go
bananas.
57. Lump in your throat Meaning - Refers to a tight feeling in your throat because of an emotion like
sadness or gratitude.
Example - After all the hardships, I saw my son winning a gold medal today - I
had a lump in my throat.
58. Hard as nails Meaning - Refers to a person without sentiments and sympathy for anyone.
Example - He has become as hard as a nail after his brother was brutally
murdered.

59. Lick one's wounds Meaning - Trying to regain their confidence or boost up the spirits after a defeat.
Example - Raja is licking his wounds after being dropped from the Indian Cricket
Team.
60. Proud as a peacock Meaning - Refers to an extremely proud person.
Example - His son is has finally become a doctor. He is as proud as a peacock.
61. Tongue-tied Meaning - Difficulty in expressing yourself because of nervousness or
embarrassment.
Example - As her prospective in laws came to see her, she was completely
tongue tied.
62. Look on the bright side Meaning - View an unpleasant situation in a positive light.
Example - You met with an accident but look on the bright side - you managed to
get away just with some bruises.
63. Swallow one's pride Meaning - Accepting something humiliating or embarrassing.
Example - When his son was caught cheating in the exam. He had to swallow his
pride and meet the principal.
64. Makes your flesh crawl Meaning - Something that makes you feel disgusting or nervous.
Example - The sight of the accident made my flesh crawl.
65. Speak volumes Meaning - Expresses a reaction without words.
Example - She came to pick me at the station at an odd hour. Her actions spoke
volumes about her brevity.
66. Not turn a hair Meaning - Refers to not exhibiting any emotion where it is expected.
Example - He didn't turn a hair even after his office was raided by the CBI.
67. Reduce to tears Meaning - Getting into tears because of some one's behaviour.
Example - Her best friend stopped talking to her. This reduced her to tears.
68. In the bag Meaning - Refers to a situation when you are sure that success is sure.
Example - The wickets of opponent team fell down very fast, victory seemed to
be in the bag at the end of 25 overs.
69. Blow up in face Meaning - Refers to a situation when a plan or project suddenly fails.
Example - It was difficult to get a place in the train to Mumbai. It blew up in the
face when a train de-railed and blocked the track.
70. Bottom fell out Meaning - Refers to a situation when a plan or project fails.
Example - When the police announced a red alert in the city, the bottom fell out
of their plan to hold a rally.
71.Cake not worth the candle -

Meaning - Refers to something in which result vs. efforts are too less.
Example - He worked very hard to organize the party but very few guests walked
in. The cake wasn't worth the candle.
72. Chance one's arm Meaning - Deciding to do something even though the chances of success are
very little.
Example - She knew there was little chance of getting through the audition test
but she decided to chance her arm.
73. Come up roses Meaning - Successful end results even though there may be some initial hiccups.
Example - After initial hiccups, the project seems to be coming up roses.
74. Cook someone's goose Meaning - Spoil other person's chances of success.
Example - When the opponent team saw Indian batsmen taking wicket after
wicket, they realised that their goose was cooked.
75. Cut one's own throat Meaning - Doing something that will cause your own failure.
Example - Raghav is not sincere in the class since the beginning. He is cutting his
own throat.
76. Foot in the door Meaning - Small but good start with a possibility for a bright future.
Example - With customers coming in, his new venture has got a foot in the door.

77. Go great guns Meaning - Being successful.

Example - Ram's preparation for the final exams is going great guns. He scored
90% marks in the practice test.
78. Dead in the water Meaning - Plan or project that has ceased to function and is not expected to be
re-activated in future.
Example - Because of the revolt from the civil society, the plan to get the FDI in
various sectors is now dead in the water.79. Flying start Meaning - Something that is immediately successful.
Example - The film hit the box office with a flying start and collected the highest
revenue on day 1.
80. Make a go of Meaning - Succeeding in your enterprise.
Example - With his hard work and dedication, he has made a go of his new
venture.
81. Go to the dogs Meaning - Getting comparably less successful than before.
Example - With new corruption scams un-veiling everyday, the country is going
to dogs.
81. Go up in smoke Meaning - Something that ends before getting a result.

Example - With a vigilant police force around the town, the plan of antisocial
elements to cause chaos went up in smoke.
82. Live on the breadline Meaning - Having very little income.
Example - The partition of the country has left many people on the breadline.
83. Make or break Meaning - Circumstances causing total success or total ruin.
Example - The huge investment in this big project with make or break him.
84. Landslide victory Meaning - Overwhelming victory received by a candidate of political party at an
election.
Example - With a win of more of than 40% seats in the first two hours of
counting, they are expecting a landslide victory.
85. Let slip through fingers Meaning - Failing to obtain or keep up a good opportunity.
Example - This opportunity can be your breakthrough in the industry. Don't let it
slip through your fingers.
86. Rags to riches Meaning - Becoming very rich while starting very poor.
Example - His innovative ideas in business got him from rags to riches.
87. On the pig's back Meaning - Refers to a person in successful and well situation.
Example - The tourism in the state was on the pig's back before the terror
attacks hit the capital.
88. Miss the boat Meaning - Failing to take advantage of an opportunity because of slow actions.
Example - I managed to get a discount of 10% but could not get an early bird
offer. Reaching late made me miss the boat.
89. Smash hit Meaning - Refers to music, films which are very successful.
Example - His music became a smash hit in a week's time.
90. Murphy's law Meaning - Means that if anything can go wrong, it will.
Example - Let's be prepared for the worst but don't forget the Murphy's law.
91. Place in the sun Meaning - Finding a place in the sun refers to a position which provides you all
the success and happiness you want in your life.
Example - Getting married into the renowned business family in the town, she
found a place in the sun.
92. Sink or swim Meaning - fail or succeed.
Example - The test will decide if he sinks or swims.
93. Champagne on a beer budget Meaning - Wanting expensive things that you cannot afford.
Example - She always buys things out of her budget. She has developed a taste
for champagne on beer budget.
94. Top dog -

Meaning - Very successful group, company, person, country etc.

Example - The economic survey proved that they are the top dogs of the IT
industry.
95. Keep up appearances Meaning - Maintaining an outward show of prosperity or well-being while hiding
your difficulties
Example - Keeping up the appearances was important for him to secure the new
big projects.
96. Wooden spoon Meaning - Imaginary prize for the last person in a race.
Example - We won a wooden spoon at the fashion show.
97. Have the world by its tail Meaning - Very successful person who can choose from a lot of opportunities.
Example - Being the pioneers in the pharmaceutical industry, they are now
having the world by its tail.
98. Live beyond means Meaning - Spending more money than you can afford.
Example - He has a habit of living beyond his means. Most of the times, you will
find him borrowing the money from his friends.
99. Live in an ivory tower Meaning - Living a lifestyle that saves you from the real world problems.
Example - Her inexperience in dealing with tough situations is because she has
lived in an ivory tower
100. Hit the road running Meaning - Start performing immediately.
Example - She was our old employee. She hit the road running when she joined
us back.